Ivanishvili to name candidate for Tbilisi mayor

Ivanishvili to name candidate for Tbilisi mayor

TBILISI, DFWatch–Prime Minister Bidzina Ivanishvili says he will name his preferred candidate for Tbilisi Mayor before he leaves his post.

In an interview with Imedi TV, the PM explained that before leaving office, he may agree with the party council about who that person will be.

“I have my own views here and I have selected a very dignified candidate for this post,” Ivanishvili continued. “However, either him or his team knows about it.”

The PM said he thinks the mayor should be a good manager who does his or her job.

When it comes to who will replace Ivanishvili himself, he said he has already picked ‘the best candidate out of several’ and is now trying to agree about a candidate with the political council of the Georgian Dream coalition.

“I haven’t told my team about the new candidate and he may also not know who I have in my mind,” he said, continuing that he doesn’t exclude that the coalition may suggest a better candidate and he may accept it.

“The Prime Minister first of all must be an honest, decent man. Must know management. Should have at least these two skills,” he added.

Ivanishvili plans to leave his post after the presidential election. Before leaving, he will name the candidate which will replace him and he promises to name the candidate in the first week of November, if there is no second round of the presidential election.